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Giving good criticism

I'm knew to all the technicalities of art, but I'm wondering how can I leave good criticism behind that would be helpful to other artists? Or does that only come after having attained a certain amount of experience??

I agree with shorinji_knight, it's sometimes really valuable to just get a normal person to say what they like and dislike about a piece. I get a lot more out of those comments than when beginners try to suggest improvements, because they usually forget to tell what actually made them not like something in the first place. So it can be really hard to try to dissect those comments to find out what was wrong with the piece. Really valuable points I like to hear are if you are connecting with the story of the piece, or if something is taking your attention away from it. Just hearing if the first thought that goes through your head is "oh cool battle" or "that shiny battleaxe is really pretty" because if it's the latter I know the storytelling and or composition have failed. So just going through points that grab your attention will be a big help for me to judge whether the piece is working like I'd want it to work. If something about the piece is making you uncomfortable, but you don't know why, just say that, it really helps.

The Following User Says Thank You to Beeston For This Useful Post:

non artist crits imo only matter if its important to you, if THAT person likes your picture. tastes differ, so it doesnt even tell you, if others would or wouldnt like it.

its a whole lot different if you get crit from a professional, who can tell you how to actually make it better from a design point of view. knowing what to say only comes with experience and expertise.

"Have only 4 values, but all the edges you want."
Glen Orbik

"To any man who has slaved to acquire skill in his art, it is most irritating to have his ability referred to as a 'gift.'"
Andrew Loomis

I'll have to side with sone_one here. Obviously any criticism you get has the potential of being useful in some way, but that potential is a lot bigger if the crit comes from a pro or at least someone who's skills are more refined than yours.
Personally I have found that there are mainly two types of crits "laymen" (meaning non-artists) give; either they overall like the piece and offer praise or they don't like the piece and try to explain why. Usually those explanations aren't very useful at all because they lack the knowledge and expertise to eplain why something works or doesn't work. What you'll get (at least that's my personal experience) in that case are laboured and "nitpicky" criticisms that often have a good intention but don't really help you in any way. A pro will tell you what is wrong with your overall design/composition/narration wheres a layman will tell you that they think some detail is wrong.

Long story short, when you receive crits from laymen always be careful if that crit is technical in nature. If they had anything useful to say about that aspect they wouldn't be laymen.

If you can't draw and paint with any ability why would you want to critique other peoples work? Out of boredom? An uninformed opinion is not only useless but annoying. As for telling people they need the fundamentals and to draw more that is the best advice you can give if you understand what you are talking about and they really need it. The fact that most people ignore that advice is evident just looking through the sketchbooks and WIP's on this site. Those are the people least likely to ever work as professional artists. I am happy to continue the practice to save the 1% or so who will take it to heart.

If you don't know enough to judge the technical aspects of a piece, don't even try - you'll most likely end up giving garbled non-advice, or you'll just sound pretentious.

I don't find "crits" from beginners or non-artists very useful. What I DO find useful is gut reactions.

If, for instance, I draw a comic page and the reactions of casual readers are along the lines of "Ooh, what's gonna happen next!? NOOO don't let him get killed! OMG, that must've hurt!" then I know I probably did something right. If their reactions are more along the lines of "What's going on? I'm confused. Where did that guy come from all of a sudden?" then I have a hint that something isn't working.

What is NOT useful is someone painstakingly trying to write a "critique" when they don't actually have anything to say or don't know what they're talking about, but think for some reason that they should write one of these critique-thingies.

Whatever you say, don't say 'Shut up and draw' or 'Go learn your fundamentals' or 'Draw more things'. They are the most unhelpful and completely fucking obvious comments you can give.

To someone who constantly seeks attention by discussing their fears and justifying procrastination on the forums, instead of simply practicing, "Shut up and draw" is a proper and necessary response - their problem is not with the drawing technicalities.

To someone who is naively copying contour drawings from anime without understanding the method behind constructing such drawing, and deludedly thinking that they are doing it right, "Go learn your fundamentals" is a proper and necessary response - their problem is not with the drawing technicalities.

To someone who keeps redrawing the same stale face in every character and botches drawing everyday objects due to reluctance to do research, "Draw more things" is a proper and necessary response - their problem is not with the drawing technicalities.

In other words, the answer can only be helpful or unhelpful in context, not as an absolute. And a lot of times, something obvious to you is far from obvious to another - if their mistake was obvious to them, they would correct it on their own and not ask questions here.

If you can't draw and paint with any ability why would you want to critique other peoples work? Out of boredom? An uninformed opinion is not only useless but annoying. As for telling people they need the fundamentals and to draw more that is the best advice you can give if you understand what you are talking about and they really need it. The fact that most people ignore that advice is evident just looking through the sketchbooks and WIP's on this site. Those are the people least likely to ever work as professional artists. I am happy to continue the practice to save the 1% or so who will take it to heart.

Actually, it often happens that someone's skill in making things lags behind their awareness of such things. So they can see a mistake even if you think they personally aren't that skilled. (My understanding of the method usually runs ahead of my ability to use it - a consequence of me being rather analytical in my approach.)

There is also the effect of a fresh look. We are staring at our own work for so long, we overlook things that could be obvious to the next random person to look at the picture for the first time. (I once spent an hour carefully drawing a character who, inexplicably, had two right hands. It was years ago, but I still remember the embarrassment.) So any fresh eye can do good. You can take a break from the picture for a few days, or you can ask someone to be your spotter for a moment.

Many people who take up drawing aren't even aware that a systematic method of doing it exist. They either try to copy cartoon lines without knowing how to construct them, or try to copy photos ad lib. The situation is not helped by the slew of "how to draw" books on the market and tutorials on the net which are actually showing how to copy, not draw. And if such a habit is established, it takes very determined work to break it and self-enforce the proper method. (I learned to draw haphazardly like that, and as a result I still lapse into symbolic drawing if I am not careful enough. And I've been working systematically for years!)

Though yes, practicing the fundamentals is something that should be done regardless of experience. It's a good way to keep in artistic shape.

I once spent an hour carefully drawing a character who, inexplicably, had two right hands. It was years ago, but I still remember the embarrassment.

Ha, I've done that. That, and continuity errors (somebody has a bandage on their right arm on page one, suddenly it's moved to the left arm on page two, sort of thing...) Once I spent ages carefully painting a figure's bare feet and didn't notice I'd given them six toes until I stepped back for a longer view.

So yeah, any casual spotter is great for that sort of thing. Your mom. Your roommate. Whoever's around, doesn't matter.

What's not so great is if your mom (or whoever) starts saying things like "I don't like purple, I think it should be green," then you have to tell them to GTFO.

It is not easy to offer good critique and advice...but even harder to receive it and understand.

I value two types of critique or observation of my work...the "gut reaction" that Queenie mentioned from collectors or viewers...and at the other end of things the critial analysis of my work from a technical standpoint by my peers. Everything else is just sort of "noise" and gets in the way...I see it all the time here. It can actually be detrimental in many ways or at best just useless.

For 95% of the beginners seeking critique here, contrary to Beeston's opinion, the best advice is to "draw more and focus on fundamentals"...because that is the best advice for all of us. For people who can't figure out what that means their path in art will be short and filled with confusion.

Just something to add that I don't see here posted (yet). Just hope it helps and comes off as coherent.

[Blind] Praise is not critique. One of the worst things you can do to an artist (especially a beginner) is give them too much of such, ignoring flaws and whatnot.

Most people here already know what I'm talking about (insert popular art site here) which is why it's not said, but to elaborate for the hell of it: You'll often see people who like an artist's work go up to them give said artist a pat on the back about how good said work is (with varying levels of writing quality) that, ironically, doesn't give any indication on why it's good. While not bad in themselves (if not numerous), giving such when an artist is actively looking to improve is counterproductive, and should be replaced with actual advice. Unless the artist looking for straight up encouragement, in which case have at it. <_>

The problem is that these comments in stupidly large amounts from all over the place whether they're on purpose or by accident (even here, even by hypocritical Artsy people), and it's up to the artist's job to sift through whats the "right" kind of critique and what's the "wrong" kind. To that end it's all about how objective you can stay in an every changing environment, and how much you can improve yourself when you take advice to heart.

Lead your crit with praise. Always. Find something to like, and say it or write it first before getting into the meat of the crit. Art is personal, a kind of surrogate self, especially to young people who are not yet in possession of themselves. They must be led to understand that the critique is given out brotherhood, rather than animosity. Or else they will react instead of listen. And the whole process will be frustrating and a pointless waste of time.

Secondly, if you are not a professional, tell your first impressions only. Do not attempt to analyze. Art can be notoriously tricky to figure out, and most people who make at least some of their money at art are completely clueless about composition, drawing, values, color, expression, and much else at at a technical level (relying instead on vital instinct to make their works work). Don't be the guy who gives wrong directions just because they "wanted to help."

Lead your crit with praise. Always. Find something to like, and say it or write it first before getting into the meat of the crit. Art is personal, a kind of surrogate self, especially to young people who are not yet in possession of themselves. They must be led to understand that the critique is given out brotherhood, rather than animosity. Or else they will react instead of listen. And the whole process will be frustrating and a pointless waste of time.

Really good observation and advice there kev...something I need to be better at I think.

Well, I spend time in Critique and I'm an unemployed pro. I know it sounds perverse, but in improving my own drawings, sometimes it's more helpful to me to see pictures that aren't working than to see pictures that are. CA is my main resource for both kinds.

I look at many, many more pictures than I comment on, though. Honestly, for 90% of them, the only good response is, "cut the shit and go draw an apple for about a month." Or, "no, you are not the one uniquely gifted snowflake who gets to dispense with the fundamentals and jump right to the space marine fighting a mermaid on the rungs of a giant geodesic frame made of fire and water floating in the infinity of space."

Kev is right that if you don't give them a bit of praise, the rest of your message may not reach them. But sometimes I really do feel like reaching through the screen and giving somebody a good slap. When I look at the five-star threads in Finally Finished, or the five-star sketchbooks, or any one of the galleries you reach from the thumbnails at the top of the site...I am awed and humbled. The best art here says to me, "sit up straight and put on your A game, Weasel; this is a serious place."

Then you go to CC and somebody wants to know what you think of this scribbly thing they spent fifteen minutes on, and I want to go, "what I think is *slap-slap-slap*. Go draw an apple."

I was once on the receiving end of a critique so savagely nasty, I marched straight out of class to the office and changed my major (sketchbook).

And how many of those regularly critique Sketchbooks and Critique Center posts?

A: Not many

But there are pros ready and waiting to help when you sign up for TAD classes, or buy TAD videos. And its good information worth paying for and it isn't all that expensive for the value. The site essentially switched a few years ago from mostly being pros volunteering information and critiques to a paywall model of that same service professionalized into a high-end digital classroom product. My sense is that a number of pros stopped volunteering information once other pros were being paid in a professional capacity to instruct through the auspices of this site. There's also the question of the downturn in the economy, and the globalization of digital art, which has simultaneously increased competition and lowered pay, thereby decreasing the free time of many pros and their ability to be as generous with their time as they once were. But these are all my opinions on the situation, and I wouldn't insist on them.

Even if you decide not to post critiques for fear of getting something wrong or offending someone, it is a good exercise to read critiques given to others and critique other people's work for yourself. Looking at other people's mistakes makes you aware of them, and then it's easier to ask yourself whether those are mistakes that you yourself make.

You should have some experience of your own before giving critique, though, otherwise you'll be totally unconvincing if there's further interaction. It's easy to say "draw more from life" or "work on the basics" but then you're going to get questions like "why life?" and "what are the basics?" and if you haven't thought things through very well you'll just sound dumb.

On the ratio of pros: amateurs...kev is probably right. I tend to offer quite a bit of advice, tips, whatever because I've been fortunate to have a broad career that touches on most things here (though I steer clear of things like animation, sculpting, etc. where I have very little pro experience). I get a bit frustrated from time to time as I sense my comments fall on deaf ears (also when individuals want to nitpick simply to be contrary) - but then I try to remember that there are many who just "lurk" who may benefit from what I have to share.

Anyway, it's sort of in my genes to teach/mentor and at least try to share some of my experience with others...which is what keeps me here.

The Following User Says Thank You to JeffX99 For This Useful Post:

I don't think the introduction of TAD actually had that much effect, certainly not as much as some behind the scenes politics...

I understood there was a causal relationship between the two. Hadn't thought about the role facebook and twitter played. I'm assuming you mean in terms of pros' self-advertising, rather than the way in which young art students could get professional advice gratis online.

I'll be honest. I critique many hours a day 4 days a week in class and it's hard to get in the critique mode when I get on the computer. I only have spurts here and there in cyberspace and I look to promote and find some kind of professional comradery. Donating time with critique has almost become like donating time illustrating for me. To do it thoroughly really takes time and thoughtful consideration. Maybe that's why there is a lot of just get busy and draw and fewer crits from busy pros. Time really is money and I guess I applaud those who are willing to give it away so freely. But think of what you are asking when you ask for a detailed critique of your work. Is it the same as asking for a free illustration for you band's cd cover or a free painting for your wall?

I'll be honest. I critique many hours a day 4 days a week in class and it's hard to get in the critique mode when I get on the computer. I only have spurts here and there in cyberspace and I look to promote and find some kind of professional comradery. Donating time with critique has almost become like donating time illustrating for me. To do it thoroughly really takes time and thoughtful consideration. Maybe that's why there is a lot of just get busy and draw and fewer crits from busy pros. Time really is money and I guess I applaud those who are willing to give it away so freely. But think of what you are asking when you ask for a detailed critique of your work. Is it the same as asking for a free illustration for you band's cd cover or a free painting for your wall?

Just questions.

Yes, this plays a part of it, but I think the larger factor is that detailed, specific critique is not really possible in most cases here because 1) it won't really be understood and 2) it is almost always a simple lack of awareness and understanding of basic fundamentals. Thus the advice to focus on "just drawing" and "work on fundamentals" along with maybe a book recommendation or two in the appropriate area is really about the best one can do.

I've tried to give critiques as much as possible but it does take up a lot of my time to be doing so. I even try to do paint-overs if I think it can help but most of the time it falls on deaf ears; there are a few exceptions. The ones that I see make an attempt to correct their work gives me an incentive to comment again the next time they post. A lot of the time someone will come on after and say how perfect the image is at that point I just go away. I find I probably can reach more people defending a point of view on how to study or become a pro in the art discussions than doing individual critiques.